Long Live the China Boom

BEIJING â?? After three decades of 9.8% average annual GDP growth, Chinaâ??s economic expansion has been slowing for 13 consecutive quarters â?? the first such extended period of deceleration since the â??reform and opening upâ? policy was launched in 1979. Real GDP grew at an annual rate of only 7.5% in the second quarter of this year (equal to the target actually set by the Chinese government at the beginning of this year). Many indicators point to further economic deceleration, and there is a growing bearishness among investors about the outlook for China. Will China crash?